Watch the leaders, or those in leadership positions, and you will learn much as a student of leadership. I try to key in on how supervisors address groups of officers and I always look to see how the officers respond.

What is so great about a New Year is that it is a time for fresh starts and a time to renew your commitments. Hopefully it will be a time to step up your commitment to the study and practice of good leadership for the benefit of your department and your people.

There seems to be a constant change of roles between officers based on rank, position, and seniority. We on the inside know that relationships between cops of different ranks are far more complex than what you see on a line organization chart.

As a supervisor, get to know your people, support them and provide the guidance to ensure they are making the right decisions. When you are successful, anonymity is often your reward, while failure brings the press scandal that brings down careers and departments.

Could Gandhi have been a great military general? Could Patton have led a nation with charm and persuasion? We will never know, but each of these great leaders, operating within the bounds of their own personality, reached a pinnacle of leadership in their time and in their element.

Yes! Please rush me my FREE TRIAL ISSUE of POLICE magazine and FREE Officer Survival Guide with tips and tactics to help me safely get out of 10 different situations.

Just fill in the form to the right and click the button to receive your FREE Trial Issue.

If POLICE does not satisfy you, just write "cancel" on the invoice and send it back. You'll pay nothing, and the FREE issue is yours to keep. If you enjoy POLICE, pay only $25 for a full one-year subscription (12 issues in all). Enjoy a savings of nearly 60% off the cover price!